Authorities clear police in Vt. shooting

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Two police officers were justified in shooting a Middlebury man after he fired a gun at police and said he wanted to commit “suicide by cop,” the Addison County state’s attorney and Vermont attorney general said Friday.

George Demarais, 57, called 911 on Oct. 4, 2011, saying he intended to commit “suicide by cop,” the report said.

Demarais didn’t answer repeated calls to his home and when police arrived, they saw him walking out of his house carrying a long gun. He refused to talk to police, and walked into the woods behind his house.

When Middlebury Police Sgt. Jason Covey ordered him to show his hands, he fired at Covey, the report said. Both Covey and Patrolman Kevin Emilio shot back, killing him, the report said.

Demarais left several notes indicating that he planned to provoke police to shoot him, the report said.

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